Write the name as the organisation writes it

Organisations determine how their names should be spelt and punctuated. This does not always follow the usual rules.

Write the name of the organisation the same way the organisation writes it. This rule applies except in rare cases when the organisation name is in all lower case. Use an initial capital for these names in body text. This helps people identify the name as a proper noun.

Some names start with a lower case letter but have a medial capital (for example, ‘eBay’). Write the name the same way, including to begin a sentence. A medial capital is enough to identify the name as a proper noun.

Pay attention to the use of capital letters, punctuation (such as apostrophes) and logograms (such as ‘&’). Make sure to include all words in the name. Don’t add additional words.

Check the correct name of an organisation

The names of organisations can change. The most efficient way to confirm an organisation’s name is to check its website, annual report or letterhead. If this is unsuccessful, there are other reliable services.

For Australian Government entities, use the government online directory. Directory entries contain links to departmental pages listing annual reports. Annual reports are a good way to find the former names of departments.

The government online directory includes the Australian Government Organisations Register and the directories of state and territory governments. There are also website directories for some local governments.

For non-government entities, use:

• the Australian Securities Exchange's listed companies
• the Australian Securities and Investments Commission registers

For all entities, use:

• the Australian Business Register's ABN lookup
• a publication that lists organisations such as the Directory of Australian associations or Margaret Gee’s media guide, if your organisation has access.

If you cite a source written by an organisation that has since changed its name, use the name that was published in the source. This may be the organisation’s or government department's past name.

Capital letters in registered business names

Some organisation names appearing on the Australian Business Register have all capitals. Our first rule applies: write the name as the organisation does.

Check the organisation's website and publications to find how it capitalises its name and follow the organisation's preferred style.

Shortened forms of the name

Use the organisation’s shortened form only if the organisation regularly uses it in its own content.

For example, the Department of Home Affairs uses ‘Home Affairs’ as the shortened form. It would be inappropriate to use ‘DHA’ to refer to Home Affairs. However, Defence Housing Australia does use the initialism ‘DHA’, so using it to refer to that organisation would be appropriate.

Spell out the shortened form the first time, unless the organisation’s name is known only by the shortened form.

Shortened forms as part of the name

Some organisations use shortened forms such as ‘Ltd’, ‘Pty Ltd’, ‘Co’ and ‘Inc’ as part of their legal name. Others use the spelt-out forms.

Don't add a full stop at the end of ‘Co’ and ‘Inc’ unless they finish a sentence. No full stop is the correct Australian Government style for abbreviations.

Use the organisation’s full title on first mention in a publication. On subsequent mentions in print documents, you can omit words like ‘proprietary’ and ‘limited’ and the corresponding shortened forms.

Capitalise organisations’ names in 2 situations

Use initial capitals for:

• all words capitalised in the full, official names of organisations
• the first mention of an organisation.

Don’t use an initial capital for:

• generic terms – such as ‘the department’ or ‘the agency’ – even if the organisation being referenced capitalises the generic term in its content
• mentions of several organisations with the same generic name.

In body text, use lower case for the definite article in the names of organisations

Some organisations use the definite article ‘The’ in their name with an initial capital. Use the full name, including ‘The’, in 2 situations:

• in emails and letters 
• if the name appears in an alphabetical list (arrange by ‘The’ as the first word in the name).

Always use lower case ‘the’ in body text. This follows the practice of most organisations.

If organisations omit the definite article from their name, don’t use it in emails and letters. In body text, ‘the’ appears before the correct name or isn’t needed at all.

Put a possessive apostrophe in a name if the organisation does

Use an apostrophe only when it forms part of the official name of an organisation.

In all other cases for organisation names, don’t use possessive apostrophes.

The apostrophe is disappearing from many organisational names, particularly from those that contain plural nouns ending in ‘s’. In these cases, the plural noun is descriptive rather than possessive.

Use the singular verb with organisation names

The rules of grammar allow the use of a plural or singular verb with the names of organisations. This is not Australian Government style.

Always use a singular verb. This applies even if organisation names end in an ‘s’ and look plural.